rampage
3/4 ton status
Can someone explain the purpose of the weep hole on the water pump and why it leaks there when the pump goes bad. I've always been curious about that.
CK5
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Weep holes on water pumps
- Thread starter rampage
- Start date
They need the weep hole to warn you when seals are about to fail in the pump. The weep hole is intended to allow extra lubricant from the pump bearings to drip out of the water pump housing. Without this hole, the oil would be forced past the water pump seal and get into the engine coolant. The hole also allows coolant to escape the pump housing instead of being forced past the oil seals to contaminate the bearings.
there are 2 sets of seals, when the first goes bad it weeps, then when the second set goes bad it squirts lol... Ask my buddy about his jb welded shut weephole
there are 2 sets of seals, when the first goes bad it weeps, then when the second set goes bad it squirts lol... Ask my buddy about his jb welded shut weephole
It's sole purpose is to let you know that coolant is leaking past the sealed bearings and it's time to replace the pump.
rampage
3/4 ton status
Looks like someone else read ehow too.
I thought it was interesting how it mentioned the lubrication as I have never heard that with modern pumps that are considered a non servicable lubed for life item.
I was still editing my post lol.
Fun fact, most cars pre 1960 had grease or oiler fittings on top of the water pumps to keep em lubricated.
rampage
3/4 ton status
Saw that.
And I started researching after I asked.
And I started researching after I asked.
I remember a guy coming into the parts store I worked in one day with a water pump ,that he decided to install a grease zerk fitting in its weep hole,after he saw it leaking there...he said it worked great for a few days ,after he greased it,it stopped leaking and was nice and quiet...but after about 100 miles,the shaft in the pump sheared off,and the fan imbedded itself in the radiator,while cruising down a highway at 65 mph.........................................................................................his cost for parts was pretty close to 500 bucks by the time he replaced the water pump,radiator,fan blade and fan clutch,and new radiator hoses!...he was pretty pissed!--he kept saying "we ALWAYS had to grease water pumps back in the day--WHY they dont still have grease fittings I dont know--these pumps must be some cheap-o crap brand!....."...
...he wouldn't beleive me when I told him greasing one wont help or even get into the bearing probably,and he wanted me to give him a grese fitting to put in the new one!..--he kept insisting all the new pumps I showed him were "defective" because all of them had a hole where the "missing" grease fitting went!...he ended up leaving in a huff ,saying "Ill just buy one somewhere ELSE,all you have here is JUNK!...............................some people just cant be told anything!..
....................................................................................his cost for parts was pretty close to 500 bucks by the time he replaced the water pump,radiator,fan blade and fan clutch,and new radiator hoses!...he was pretty pissed!--he kept saying "we ALWAYS had to grease water pumps back in the day--WHY they dont still have grease fittings I dont know--these pumps must be some cheap-o crap brand!....."......he wouldn't beleive me when I told him greasing one wont help or even get into the bearing probably,and he wanted me to give him a grese fitting to put in the new one!..--he kept insisting all the new pumps I showed him were "defective" because all of them had a hole where the "missing" grease fitting went!...he ended up leaving in a huff ,saying "Ill just buy one somewhere ELSE,all you have here is JUNK!...............................some people just cant be told anything!..
I always figured it was to let you know to start weeping because you were about to have to replace the pump............
Actually, its a kinda multipurpose hole. <Insert crude joke here>.
When the pump is new, it serves to keep coolant out of the bearings.
No seals are perfect, especially at the price of a water pump. So, over the life of the pump, some moisture will slip by.
It might only amount to a few drops per year, and usually not enough to even drip out the hole.
It will evaporate before then.
But, if there was no weep hole, it would have nowhere to go except into the bearings.
The excess grease theory is true also, but the bearings are sealed with seals at each side.
So, any grease that gets forced out due to heat and over-greasing, is just as likely to go out the front around the shaft.
Then, when the bearings get worn to the point that excessive shaft movement causes the seal to leak, or the seal just gets worn out, the weep hole extends the life of the pump.
Once the seal starts leaking a lot, without the hole it would quickly fill the bearings with hot coolant under pressure, causing a quick catastrophic failure.
With the hole, the bearings survive long enough for you to see the leak and get it fixed before the fan meets the radiator.
Actually, its a kinda multipurpose hole. <Insert crude joke here>.
When the pump is new, it serves to keep coolant out of the bearings.
No seals are perfect, especially at the price of a water pump. So, over the life of the pump, some moisture will slip by.
It might only amount to a few drops per year, and usually not enough to even drip out the hole.
It will evaporate before then.
But, if there was no weep hole, it would have nowhere to go except into the bearings.
The excess grease theory is true also, but the bearings are sealed with seals at each side.
So, any grease that gets forced out due to heat and over-greasing, is just as likely to go out the front around the shaft.
Then, when the bearings get worn to the point that excessive shaft movement causes the seal to leak, or the seal just gets worn out, the weep hole extends the life of the pump.
Once the seal starts leaking a lot, without the hole it would quickly fill the bearings with hot coolant under pressure, causing a quick catastrophic failure.
With the hole, the bearings survive long enough for you to see the leak and get it fixed before the fan meets the radiator.
wasted wages
1 ton status
rampage
3/4 ton status
How about a cut away or exploded diagram (that a non-memeber can see) to help me visualize it.
black dawg
1/2 ton status
there are water pumps with no weep hole(dodge cummins), and usually dont leak until the bearing fails (no warning).
chulisohombre
1/2 ton status
I've seen pumps that have weep holes go out without warning too. My buddies broke off at the shaft and took out the rad,shroud, and put a nice size hole through the hood of his olds omega. Was a cherry 73 before that happened.
cause I personally don't have a picture like that 
blazin_blazer
1/2 ton status
